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Home » Recipes » Dessert

Published: Feb 9, 2021 · Updated: Mar 28, 2021 by The Kitchen Girl

Bananas Foster Recipe

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12.5K shares
5 from 24 votes
Jump To Recipe

10-minute Bananas Foster recipe made with bananas, easy caramel rum sauce, and vanilla ice cream. New Orleans-inspired banana flambe might become your date-night secret weapon!

bananas foster in iron skillet with scoop of melting vanilla ice cream and chopped pecans
Table of Contents hide
1) What is Bananas Foster
2) Bananas foster recipe ingredients
3) How ripe should bananas be for bananas foster dessert?
4) How to make bananas foster
5) What is banana flambe?
6) Can you make Bananas Foster ahead of time?
7) Is Bananas Foster alcoholic?
8) Can you substitute the alcohol in bananas foster?
9) Recommended Tools
10) How to serve bananas foster
11) Easy dessert recipes
12) More Banana Recipes
13) Bananas Foster

What is Bananas Foster

The story goes during the 1950's in New Orleans, Brennan's restaurant owner, Owen Brennan, asked Chef Paul Blange to create a dessert with bananas, a locally imported commodity. So he cooked bananas in a caramel rum sauce, ignited it, and topped it with vanilla ice cream. It's such a romantic dessert, no wonder it was born in New Orleans.

Bananas foster recipe ingredients

  • butter - add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter
  • brown sugar - light or dark
  • cinnamon stick - or ground cinnamon
  • ripe bananas - preferably not over ripe
  • dark rum - bourbon works too
  • vanilla ice cream
  • pecans - or walnuts (or preferred nut)

How ripe should bananas be for bananas foster dessert?

I prefer to use firmly ripened bananas with very yellow (not browned) skin for bananas foster. They'll soften up when cooked in the rum sauce and I don't want them too soft. If you want a recipe that uses brown-skinned overripe bananas, check out my ridiculously moist Banana Bread recipe. It's banana heaven!

How to make bananas foster

  1. Make the easy caramel sauce by heating butter, brown sugar, vanilla, pecans, and cinnamon in a skillet.
  2. Add bananas - saute until softened
  3. Flambe - (optional) see details in recipe card below
  4. Baste - cook bananas in the sauce
  5. Serve - top with ice cream, and devour!

What is banana flambe?

Flambe is when alcohol is added to food and ignited. When you make bananas foster flambe, rum or bourbon is added to a buttery, brown sugar mixture and set alight briefly. You can make bananas foster as a banana flambe, or not. Either method will make a delicious caramel rum sauce.

I'll state the obvious here, but ALL precautions MUST be taken to avoid injury and prevent fire. As with any cooking activity, a fire extinguisher or fire blanket should be on hand at all times.

bananas foster in iron skillet with scoop of melting vanilla ice cream and chopped pecans

Can you make Bananas Foster ahead of time?

You could make the caramel sauce ahead of time and refrigerate until needed. However, unless you're hosting an event, I find it just as easy to make the sauce as needed because it comes together in a snap. You wouldn't want to make banana flambe ahead because the bananas will become mushy.

Is Bananas Foster alcoholic?

Alcohol is a key ingredient of classic bananas foster. The flambe process happens very quickly and 75% of the alcohol is retained even after cooking. So, if a person is avoiding alcoholic desserts, omit the alcohol entirely and enjoy this dessert without it.

Can you substitute the alcohol in bananas foster?

If you want to substitute an ingredient for the alcohol in this recipe, you can substitute equal amount of apple juice, pineapple juice, or heavy cream. It might not be a classic bananas foster recipe and you won't be able to flambe (ignite) it, but it will still be delicious.

bananas foster in iron skillet with scoop of melting vanilla ice cream and chopped pecans

Recommended Tools

  • 8” cast iron skillet or any small skillet
  • paring knife
  • fork or whisk
  • silicone spatula
  • matches or fireplace lighter (if igniting)

How to serve bananas foster

One of my favorite things about this dessert, besides everything, is that you can serve it in the skillet you cooked it in. I used this cute 8" cast iron skillet, which serves 1-2 people. You can serve bananas foster in any dish other than a skillet, I just have a soft spot for iron skillet desserts.

bananas foster in iron skillet with scoop of melting vanilla ice cream and chopped pecans

Easy dessert recipes

  • No Bake Peanut Butter Pie
  • Blueberry Zucchini Bread
  • Triple Berry No Churn Ice Cream
  • Chocolate Eclair Icebox Cake
  • Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
  • Blueberry Crisp [Vegan Gluten Free]
  • Pear Apple Cranberry Crisp
  • Orange Olive Oil Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache

More Banana Recipes

  • Double Chocolate Banana Bread
  • Ridiculously Moist Banana Walnut Bread
  • Fruit Yogurt Breakfast Bowl
New Orleans-inspired Bananas Foster recipe. Scrumptious date night dessert with caramel sauce, bananas, pecans, and vanilla ice cream. #bananasfoster #flambe #neworleans #fattuesday #mardigras #alamode #warmdessert

Bananas Foster

10-minute Bananas Foster recipe made with bananas, easy caramel rum sauce, and vanilla ice cream. This New Orleans-inspired bananas foster flambe is a secret weapon of any date night.
5 from 24 votes
Print Pin
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 2 ½-cup servings
Author: Traci The Kitchen Girl

Equipment

  • 8” cast iron skillet or any skillet
  • chef's knife or paring knife
  • wire whisk or fork
  • silicone spatula
  • matches or fireplace lighter (if igniting)

INGREDIENTS
 

  • 1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
  • 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
  • pinch Cinnamon, or cinnamon stick
  • 1 ripe Banana, sliced lengthwise
  • 2 tablespoons Dark Rum, or bourbon
  • 1-2 (4 ounce scoops) Vanilla Ice Cream
  • 1 tablespoon Pecans or Walnuts, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Melt BUTTER in skillet over medium heat.
  • Add BROWN SUGAR and CINNAMON, stirring until sugar dissolves.
  • Add BANANA and cook a few minutes on both sides until softened.
  • Turn off stove burner and pour in RUM.

If you don't want to ignite / flambe

  • Turn burner back on and allow sauce to cook a few minutes, stirring as needed, then serve.

To make banana flambe, there are 2 ways you can ignite the flame. BE CAREFUL either way and do not stand over the skillet.

  • Option 1) Gas stove burner: Turn burner on and adjust to LOW heat. Carefully tip the skillet into the flame to ignite the alcohol, shaking the pan around to baste the bananas until the flame burns off.
    Option 2) Match or lighter: Keep stove burner off and use a long match or lighter to ignite the alcohol, shaking the pan around to baste the bananas until the flame burns off.

To serve bananas foster

  • Serve bananas and sauce in the warm skillet or transfer to a bowl. Add ICE CREAM and PECANS.
Tried this recipe? I'd love your review!Visit the comments below and tell me how it went.

Traci's Recipe Notes

What is banana flambe
Flambe is when alcohol is added to food and ignited. When you make bananas foster flambe, rum or bourbon is added to a buttery, brown sugar mixture and set alight briefly. Whether you flambe or not, you will get a delicious caramel rum sauce with this recipe, so igniting is not required.
Is Bananas Foster alcoholic?
Alcohol is a key ingredient of classic bananas foster. The flambe process happens very quickly and 75% of the alcohol is retained even after cooking. So, if a person is avoiding alcoholic desserts, omit the alcohol entirely and enjoy this recipe without it.
What can you substitute for the alcohol in bananas foster?
If you want to substitute an ingredient for the alcohol in this recipe, you can substitute equal amount of apple juice, pineapple juice, or heavy cream. It might not be a classic bananas foster recipe and you won't be able to flambe (ignite) it, but it will still be delicious.
Can you make Bananas Foster ahead of time?
You could make the caramel sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until needed. However, unless you're hosting an event, I find it just as easy to make the sauce as needed because it comes together in a snap.

NUTRITION

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 41mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.

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bananas foster in iron skillet with scoop of melting vanilla ice cream and chopped pecans

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Comments

  1. Juliette Gilbert says

    July 23, 2022 at 8:31 pm

    5 stars
    So quick easy and delicious. I will be making again.

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      July 24, 2022 at 6:10 am

      Yay! Bananas Foster is one of our favorite desserts anytime. I'm so glad you enjoyed. Thank you!

  2. Kim G says

    November 28, 2021 at 2:14 pm

    5 stars
    Very easy and fast to make. Wonderfully delicious

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      November 28, 2021 at 2:21 pm

      Awesome, Kim! It's amazing how quick Bananas Foster can be made. So glad you enjoyed! Thanks for the feedback

  3. Kayla says

    February 10, 2021 at 9:00 am

    Hi Traci! Question - do I need to use a cast iron skillet or can a different kind of skillet be used?

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      February 10, 2021 at 10:42 am

      Hi Kayla, any skillet will work. Let me know if you have other questions. Thanks so much and enjoy! 🙂

  4. Laura McCormick says

    November 09, 2020 at 10:04 am

    I want to try this recipe but have a question on this...how many can be served with this recipe?

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      November 09, 2020 at 10:25 am

      Hi Laura, the recipe yields (2) 1-cup servings, so it's perfect to share on date night.

  5. Jeff says

    August 08, 2020 at 8:48 pm

    5 stars
    This bananas foster hits the spot every time. It's easy to make and is so good, it makes me look like I know what I'm doing. My kind of recipe!

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      August 09, 2020 at 6:45 am

      Yes! This is my kind of review 🙂 Thanks, Jeff!

  6. Adam Lane says

    February 27, 2020 at 8:03 am

    5 stars
    This recipe is spot on, this has been my favorite forever.

    I had it at Brennans once. One of those life altering experiences.

    I must say as far as that first paragraph, and also as a bachelor...do you not know the meaning of "Secret"? Aaaaahhhh. i thought this was my secret.

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      February 27, 2020 at 8:42 am

      Adam...wow, thanks SO much! Glad to know you're a fan of this too! Yep, the secret is out

  7. Veena Azmanov says

    December 07, 2018 at 9:54 am

    5 stars
    This is such a unique recipe. Cant wait to try this Banana Foster recipe. I love Bananas fried too. Definitely this dish will turn out to be amazing .

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      December 07, 2018 at 11:57 am

      Thanks Veena! Yep, when those fried bananas hit the ice cream...heaven! 😉

  8. Krista Price says

    December 07, 2018 at 9:32 am

    5 stars
    I never would have thought Bananas Foster was so simple! This is my grandmother's favorite dessert! I can't wait to share this with her, and THANK YOU for sharing! 🙂

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      December 07, 2018 at 9:40 am

      Thanks Krista! Hope your grandmother approves 😉

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